The end. I love writing those two words. Finishing that first draft is one of the best feelings in the world, in my opinion. It doesn’t matter how crappy it is, or how much editing it will take to make it readable. I made it to the end—an accomplishment that frequently seems impossible from mid book. Last week, I got to write those two words again. Yes, I finally finished FF3. It’s off with beta readers now. I’m afraid I won’t make a December release date as I was hoping, but it goes for editing in early January, and cover art mid-month, so it shouldn’t be too much longer. It frustrates me to no end that I can’t write faster. Yes, I do have a day job and a family to take care of, but four months seems like a long time to write a first draft. My writer friends assure me that the process gets, if not easier, at least more reliable the more you do it. And though I’ve been writing for decades, I’ve only been taking it seriously for the last year. Back in September, I wrote a blog post about improving my method. I decided to give outlining on honest try. It certainly helped, but I’m a long way from mastering that technique. Even if I don’t turn out to be the sort of writer who plots every scene ahead of time, I do think it’s incredibly helpful to have some kind of roadmap before I begin. So, I’ll keep trying to find the method that works for me. Thanks for your patience as I find my way. Hopefully, the next book will come together...

I’ve wanted to make a book trailer for a while now, so for The Final Formula’s first birthday (publication birthday), I decided to give it a go. I ended up having a lot of fun with this project, but there was a learning curve. When I started, I knew nothing about trailer making–or any kind of video editing. After studying some of the other trailers out there, I wrote a short script, then went in search of the imagery. I dug through loads of stock photos and footage–what a time sink that was–and finally found some things I could work with. I wasn’t familiar with any movie making software, so I decided to use what came free with my computer. I highly recommend iMovie to anyone just starting out. It was easy to use and gave the final product a, dare I say, professional appearance. I love visual media and wish I was more handy with such things. One of these days, I need to learn to use Photoshop. I’ve been into digital scrapbooking for years, but the software I use for that is a bit limiting. I think it would be a blast to make book covers, but that’s a project for another day. Meanwhile, I have a novel to write. 😉 So without further ado, here’s my trailer. Hope you like it! ...

And here it is, the cover reveal for FF 2.5, The Necromancer’s Betrayal. This is another novella featuring James, but unlike The Element of Death, he’s not the only one telling the story. James shares the spotlight with a new character, and yes, that’s her on the cover. This story takes place about a month and a half after The Blood Alchemist ended. James has gone off to college, but the poor guy just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. And this time, he found it without Addie’s help. 😉 The Necromancer’s Betrayal is over twice the length of The Element of Death. (That’s half the length of one of my novels–in case you’re keeping score at home). I don’t have an exact release date this time, but it goes to the formatter this coming week. So it won’t be long. I’ll be posting the blurb and an excerpt of the first few chapters on my books page later this week. In the meantime, I’ve posted a couple of snippets over on my Facebook page if you haven’t had a chance to check those out. Thanks for following along. I hope you enjoy this one!...

Update! I’ve added a blurb and the first three chapters of The Blood Alchemist here. Just scroll down to read the blurb, then click the link for the excerpt. I’ve got a cover and a release date for the next book in my Final Formula Series! The Blood Alchemist (aka FF2) is a full length novel told from Addie’s POV. It takes place just six weeks after The Final Formula ended. In case you missed them, there are some snippets over on my Facebook page. This is my favorite place to add snippets while working on a new project, so be sure to like my page if you want to be notified of new additions. For blurbs, excerpts, and retailer links on the previous books in the series, just click on my BOOKS tab above. Release date: Friday, May 16, 2014....

New addition to the Final Formula Series! Update! The Element of Death is available everywhere ebooks are sold–or it will be shortly. Some sites are a little slower than others, so keep checking. If you’d like to read an excerpt, visit my books page. The Element of Death is a short novella told from James’s point of view that fills a gap of time within the first novel, The Final Formula. This story is more of a buddy flick between the guys, and offers some insight into how they became friends. Addie and her sharp tongue will return in the (as yet untitled) second novel, due to release later this spring. From time to time, I share snippets from that one on my Facebook page. The stories in my Final Formula Series are intended to be read in order. If you haven’t had a chance to check out The Final Formula, read the first three chapters here. Or pick up a copy anywhere ebooks are sold. It’s only $0.99!...